Understanding Equipment In Your Home During A Water Damage Restoration

6/27/2017 (Permalink)

Understanding Equipment in Your Home during Water Damage Restoration

First of all, if you have had a water damage situation in your Minneapolis-area home, let us say how sorry we are for the mess! But, you have come to the right place with SERVPRO of Oldham/Shelby and we want to help you understand the process of effectively drying your home back to its preloss condition as if this never happened.

Let’s first set the scene. You’ve been away on vacation and return home to discover a pipe in your master bathroom burst. That water has spent several days running out of that pipe on the second floor, down through the walls to the first floor, and into the basement, leaving the concrete floor and rug even on that level completely saturated.

When a water damage restoration crew arrives at your home, someone will do a thorough walk through to get an understanding of the scope of the project and damage. That helps the restoration company determine what equipment they need, and what the drying process will likely entail.

Air Movers, Dryers, & Water Extractors

As one person does a walk through, other technicians will immediately get the drying process underway. In situations where there is standing water or water in materials like drywall, time is of the essence. Some experts believe mold can start growing as soon as 48 to 72 hours after water enters, and sits, in a space.

If there is standing water, water extraction equipment will be used immediately to remove any standing water, and suction as much out of porous surfaces like carpet as possible.

From there, air movers and dryers will be brought in and strategically placed for maximum drying effectiveness. Believe it or not, there is actually a science behind this placement, as well as industry standards that clearly outline this drying process for restoration contractors.

Thermal Imaging/Infrared Cameras

With a loss like this, it’s likely there is water inside your walls. However, thanks to innovations in restoration technology, tearing out an entire wall may not be necessary. A skilled restoration contractor will take a look at the walls in the affected areas of the home using a thermal imaging or infrared camera. While this technology doesn’t show actual moisture, it shows temperature differences behind the wall that could indicate moisture. An experienced contractor will be able to determine what the temperature readings mean and determine the best approach for drying those hard to reach wall cavities.

Moisture Meters

You might also see a technician using a moisture meter. These simple tools do measure moisture levels inside different materials like drywall, concrete, and hardwood floors. Readings will be taking during the start of the drying process, and again throughout the process to determine progress, and then again at the end to determine all the surfaces are truly dry. These moisture meters take readings either by sitting flat on a surface or by sticking two pin probes into the surface, usually drywall, creating very minimal damage.

Our goal at SERVPRO of Oldham/Shelby is to not only return your home to its preloss condition but to do it quickly and effectively, and get your life back to normal as quickly as possible. If you have any questions about the process or the equipment you see in your home, just ask!